How can counselors licensed in other states qualify for the LPCC in California?
The board may issue a license to counselors who have held for at least two years, a valid license as a professional counselor, which allows the applicant to independently provide clinical mental health services in another jurisdiction of the United States, if their education and supervised experience* qualifications are substantially equivalent to the requirements for LPCCs in California. These counselors must pass an 18-contact-hour continuing education course on California law and ethics and they must pass the examinations required for licensure in California. The Board will not adopt these examinations until January 1, 2012.
*The LPCC law was amended in August 2012 to allow the BBS to accept supervised hours for licensed counselors, who have held a valid license in another state for at least two years. Counselors, who have not been licensed for at least two years in another state, will be required to gain a minimum of 250 hours of supervised clinical experience in direct counseling within California, after registering with the Board as an intern. Counselors can register as interns beginning January 1, 2011.View a summary of requirements for reciprocity.
Is it better for counselors licensed in other states to apply for grandparenting or for reciprocity?
Licensed Professional Counselors can select the option that is best for them.
Education: The education requirements are similar for reciprocity and grandparenting
Supervision: Applicants for reciprocity, who have not been licensed in another state for two years will need to register as an intern with the Board of Behavioral Sciences for 250 hours of supervision within California. Applications to register will be available beginning January 1, 2011. Applicants for grandparenting do not have to be supervised for 250 hours in California. They can submit documentation of 1,700 hours of post-degree supervision with their applications, which will be accepted January 1 – June 30, 2011.
Examination: Applicants for reciprocity must pass licensure exams adopted by the Board. The Board will not have approved these exams until January 1, 2012. Applicants for grandparenting in 2011 are required to have a passing score on the NCE, the NCMHCE and a California jurisprudence exam. If the NCE and NCMHCE are not adopted by the Board in 2012, grandparented counselors will have to take California-produced exams within six years of licensure to renew the license.
Renewal: Grandparented counselors will need to renew each year for the first six years, whereas counselors licensed through reciprocity will renew every two years.
